Attorney Licensee Profile

Lawrence Russell Webb
#107404

This licensee is prohibited from practicing law in California by order of the California Supreme Court.

License Status: Disbarred

Address: P O Box 241601, Los Angeles, CA 90024-9401

County: Los Angeles County

Phone Number: (310) 441-0249

Fax Number: Not Available

Email: Not Available

Law School: UC Berkeley SOL; Berkeley CA

License Status, Disciplinary and Administrative History

Below you will find all changes of license status due to both non-disciplinary administrative matters and disciplinary actions.

Date

License Status

Discipline

Administrative Action

Present

Disbarred

12/24/1998

Disbarred

Disbarment 98-N-02335

7/25/1998

Not Eligible To Practice Law in California

Ordered inactive 98-N-02335

7/9/1998

Not Eligible To Practice Law in California

Ordered inactive 98-N-02335

5/31/1998

Not Eligible To Practice Law in California

Ordered inactive 97-O-14770

5/12/1998

Notice of Disc Charges Filed in SBCt 98-N-02335

4/7/1998

Notice of Disc Charges Filed in SBCt 97-O-14770

3/21/1998

Not Eligible To Practice Law in California

Discipline w/actual suspension 93-O-18592

8/12/1996

Not Eligible To Practice Law in California

Suspended, failed to pay Bar fees

8/12/1996

Not Eligible To Practice Law in California

Admin Inactive/MCLE noncompliance

2/8/1995

Notice of Disc Charges Filed in SBCt 93-O-18592

2/25/1992

Private reproval, public disclosure 90-C-13102

1/5/1989

Active

8/31/1987

Not Eligible To Practice Law in California

Suspended, failed to pay Bar fees

12/23/1982

Admitted to The State Bar of California

Discipline Summaries

Summaries from the California Bar Journal are based on discipline orders but are not the official records. Not all discipline actions have associated CBJ summaries. Copies of official licensee discipline records are available upon request.

March 21, 1998

LAWRENCE RUSSELL WEBB [#107404], 46, of Los Angeles was suspended for two years, stayed, and placed on probation for two years, with a 90-day actual suspension, effective March 21, 1998. He was ordered to pass the MPRE and comply with rule 955.

On review, the State Bar Court found Webb culpable of gross negligence involving moral turpitude.

Webb was hired by a client to handle a personal injury matter, which he settled for $8,350. After depositing the settlement check into his client trust account, he sent the client a check for his share of the proceeds.

However, the client's check bounced and for the next 45 days, Webb's client trust account fell below the required balance.

Webb stated that he contacted the bank and was assured the check was paid, although he received no documentation to that effect.

Shortly after, his bank branch was closed as a result of the 1994 earthquake in Los Angeles.

Webb said he failed to receive proper information about his client trust account to resolve the problem and did not intentionally allow the balance of his account to fall below the required amount. During the disciplinary hearing he stipulated that he negligently administered his client trust account.

Even though Webb's misappropriation stemmed from mismanagement rather than from intentional acts, the bar court review judge found that moral turpitude was involved, as it related to Webb's breach of his fiduciary duty owed to the client.

The client was successful in obtaining a small claims court judgment against Webb, which he honored.

The review judge disagreed with the hearing department and found that Webb was candid and cooperated with the bar's investigation, which deserved significant weight in mitigation. However, the review judge did not find clear evidence of significant harm to the administration of justice.

Aggravating factors included harm to the client and, to a lesser degree, his prior private reproval for assault and battery convictions and violation of two ethical rules.

Although the hearing department had recommended a one-year stayed suspension with a one-year probation and a 30-day actual suspension, the review judge recommended a more severe sanction, stating "[b]alancing all relevant circumstances, we believe that the hearing judge's recommendation of 30 days actual suspension must be increased to 90 days."